Current Status

Been thinking of updating with all of the "stuff" surrounding 18+ month Anna.  A stream of conscious- type thing...

Words she currently uses (either fully intelligible or some we understand after hearing constantly):
Mommy, Daddy, Poppy, Baba (grandpa D), baby, hi, hello, bye, up, down, UH OH, milk, wa-wa (water), cookie (kee kee), cheese, walk, night night, door, keys, splash, please (peeez), bless you (BEE-SOO), thank you (dee doo), what's that (WAS AHH?), hair, eyes, ear, mouth, nose, booby (don't ask. that one is clear as day), hat, doggy, bear, bite, cheese, fish, bubble, buckle (bu-bah), plus animal sounds: meow, woof woof, moo, roar, oink (funny throat noise), oooh ooh ahh ahh (monkey), baaa, neigh, ribbit (sort of), hop hop (for bunny)..........

I am sure there are some I'm missing.  She seems to find a new word every day, and some she used to have problems with are sounding more and more clear  (like cookie used to be "dee dee" and now it's clearly a C sound)

She understands almost everything.  Has learned to pull up the bath plug (did that very early) but now can pull it up and put it right back to where it belongs.

In other news, after talking about it for a while and getting some advice - we decided to flip Anna around in her car seat.  I always thought NJ rules said 2 years to face backwards, but turns out it is 1 year and 20 pounds.  Being that she is on her way to 19 months and weighs 26+ pounds, we thought maybe she'd be more comfortable. It's only been about a week and I haven't driven anywhere too far yet but she seems to like it.  Although the first day I picked her up from Miss Sandy's I was singing and dancing as we got home and I turn to look at her and she is giving me a face like "THIS is what you do up here? What is going on?!"  Since then she has just accepted my chair dancing.

This morning, on our way out - insisted on wearing her new shoes from Auntie Christina

She originally had these on (SO CUTE), but pulled them off and asked for the sneakers

How can you blame her? Look how cool they are!

These full piece bathing suits are so cute and ridiculous. I love it

Last weekends FOUL mood called for her first big ice pop.  A big (sticky) hit, of course

A few more pics, just for fun..

HELLO?  (on the computer mouse)

crazy kid

playing at Gram and Pop's house

gorgeous pic of her little face

Shaming

This thing on the Internet called "shaming" or "dog shaming" has me laughing while writing this ...

"I stayed up all night crying, whining and slapping mommy and daddy in the head while they try to sleep"

"I am passed out COLD in their bed at 7:30 while they curse me drinking their second cup of coffee before leaving the house"

THIS is a mom who did not shower, slicked hair into TIGHT (headache inducing) updo & had a crazy, ridiculous day of work on 2 hours sleep. 

Oh Anna, I can't wait till you have kids. 

The progression of bathtime

Must throw every toy in first

Start trying to climb in fully dressed 

Start playing, caught unaware

Hi mommy!

Bath time has become so much fun as of late. She plays, splashes and laughs. I can even get though an entire tub without a year (on a good night). We're working on tipping our head back to get rid of soap in the eyes & she's really getting it. Sometimes she whines just cause she's a wimp!

18 Months!

Hard to believe Anna is already a year and a half!  For whatever reason, "18 months" in my mind always screamed "big kid" to me.... and now that we're here, I definitely see both sides. In some ways, she is definitely a full blown toddler - making her thoughts known, climbing, seeing cause and effect, understanding 'time out' (sort of - at least the idea you go sit alone when you do something naughty), saying more words and phrases (even if some of them are impossible to understand and are quite clearly just babble), being more creative - "feeding" me with a measuring spoon, "drinking" from her bath pitcher (when not in the bath),  brushing her own hair and mine with a basting brush, wrapping her bears in little blankets and carrying them around, and most of all - knowing she's doing something "bad" and giving a look like "who me?" and trying to get away with it anyway.  She may not fully speak, but she understands 95% of what we're saying and chooses when to listen!

But then again, she's still a baby in a lot of respects.  Is in a SERIOUS mommy mode lately, waking up just wanting me to hold her and know I'm there.  She is throwing tantrums over stupid stuff (which I guess is indicative of baby and toddler status), still not really saying what she wants, instead choosing to whine about it.  The patience is still low. The stubborn, determined personality is still strong! (Fiery redhead!)

I don't know what you mean mom... I'm not touching anything you said not to touch?

BABY MELTDOWN!!!!!

Weight:  26 pounds, even
Height:  32.5 inches
Both perfect in the 75th percentile, where she has pretty much stayed since birth - following a perfect curve the doctor says!

Diaper Size:  still in a 4, although lately I've noticed it getting kind of tight..
Clothing Size:  fits in both 18 month and 24 month clothes. 24 months are definitely more forgiving and look more comfortable.  Next to none of her 18 month pants fit anymore
Shoe Size: 4.5 or 5

Hair: growing like crazy. Still red (not bright red, but definitely red) and to my delight: CURLS!  Will allow me to put in tiny ponytails and bows!  Sometimes will even let the bow or ponytail stay!

Eyes: a mix of blue and gray. Definitely not bright blue, they sort of change (kinda like mom). Eye shape is all Doug!

Sleep:  Bedtime pretty much consistent at 7:30pm. Nice to have a little more freedom from the 7pm bedtime she needed before. 
But like I said, she has been waking up wanting MOM-MY.  Not consistent, but definitely angry when she gets up. Screaming, kicking, etc. She doesn't calm herself down and fall back to sleep, she can cry for an hour if we let her.  Apparently there is a big sleep regression at 18-months due to the problems with separation anxiety.  She clings to me when I go to put her back down into her crib, like a monkey. It's not easy on me.  

Favorite Foods:   still loves avocado, will eat every time it's offered. Other favorites include banana, cheese, tortellini, blueberries, pancakes, ice cream, cookies (can actually pronounce it now!).  Will tolerate cucumber, red pepper, edamame, peas.  I have to keep trying vegetables (even though sometimes the effort is so annoying when she just denies..)  Thank god for fruit/veggie pouches!

Least Favorite:  It really changes every day.  Wouldn't eat watermelon for me for a week, eats it 3 days in a row after that.  I can't even begin to figure her out.

Most favorite activities:  trying to take mommy's "babies" (my iPhone, to watch videos of herself), hugging her dog and bears, playing outside, climbing everywhere, she actually (dare I say) likes bathtime lately!  When I turn on the water she comes running and tries to climb in fully dressed. Knows how to rip off her diaper in preparation. Probably a bad skill to have acquired..    Recently we found she loves the sprinkler and could have played for hours in it. 

has even sort of figured out to keep her head back to keep water out of her eyes!

big and little bears are necessary for storytime

Least favorite activities:  Riding in the car.  Doing anything she wasn't intent on doing, i.e. coming inside when she's not ready, putting on shoes or clothes, going downstairs, going upstairs, eating dinner, not eating dinner, not getting to eat or drink whatever you are eating or drinking, not getting to play with sharp or dangerous objects, and so on and so on...........


She really is hilarious. Super sweet. Loves to give hugs and kisses. Loves kissing all her favorite animals in her books. Loves to kiss her favorite faces when going through her phone.  The days apart are hard, especially when she is crying for me as I leave, but I know we both benefit from it so much.  She loves playing with her friends and gets to run around outside and steal other people's snacks and hangs with a baby all day.  Can't be too bad!

Can't wait to see what the next 6 months brings!

Monkey see

Plugged my camera in for the first time in AGES and found this gem.  Enjoy

What 90 degree days look like

Matching hat, bathing suit and pool of course

Playing in the sprinkler for the first time and loving it 

Diving head first into ice cream

Not messing around!